Engine mounting bracket



Sept. 22, 1942.

L. w. ALFRED ENGINE MOUNTING BRACKET Filed Aug. 4; 1942 WiNVw.

Lawreg e fr Patented Sept. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE (Grantedunder the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to mounting brackets, and morespecifically to a novel and improved design of engine mounting bracketadapted to support any one of numerous types of internal combustionengines.

In the maintenance of military motor vehicles it is the universalapproved practice to run in every vehicle motor that has undergoneextensive repairs in order to avoid any possibility of the motor beingdamaged by improper use after repair, and also to serve as a check todetermine that the motor is functioning properly before being releasedfor service. This is done in army maintenance shops by mounting themotor on some type of engine stand that will serve as a satisfactorybase to support the motor during its run-in period. Inasmuch as eachshop must of necessity service many and various types of vehicles it hasbeen found difficult to provide any single design of engine stand thatcould be used for all of the various types, sizes and models of motorsthat must be serviced.

One of the problems incident to the provision of the universal enginestand has been that the mounting surfaces of different types of motorsdiffer widely, some being horizontal, some vertical, and some atdifferent angles. Also, some are parallel with the motor, others atright angles or almost any intermediate angle.

It is therefore the specific object of the present invention to providean engine mounting bracket arranged and adapted to support any type ofinternal combustion engine irrespective of the location or angularposition of the mounting surfaces or mounting bolts thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein the presentpreferred embodiment of this invention is disclosed:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View of an engine mounting bracket constructed inaccordance with the teachings of this invention, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

The type of bracket illustrated in the present drawing is intended to beused on any one of several types of adjustable engine stands so that theindividual brackets may be positioned against the mounting surfaces ofany one of different types, sizes and models of internal combustionengines, but the subject matter of this application is limited to thebracket with which the final 55 connection between the'motor and thestand is accomplished.

The bracket is mounted on the upper end ofa supporting column llwhich'has a reducedportion l2 at its upper extremityto provide asupporting shoulder l3 to receive the lower flat surface M of the mainbracket castinglfi. The bracket casting 15 comprises a generallyrectangular metal block having a vertical bore IE5 at its lower end inorder to fit over the reduced portion 12 of the supportingcolumn. Thebracket casting is secured in position on the column bya threadedset-screw l1 extending through the wall l8 of the [bracket and into anannular groove I9 on the reduced upper portion of the supporting column.The arrangement is such that the setscrew ll may be loosenedsufiiciently to permit free rotation of the bracket casting l5 on theupper end of the supporting column or may be tightened down to thebottom surface of the groove l9 to lock the bracket in any position withrespect to the column.

The bracket casting It includes two side wall portions 2| and 22 spacedapart from each-other to define a central slot 22, and a cross-pin23.ex-

tends between these side portions to provide a pivotal mounting for ashiftable motor bracket arm 24. The bracket arm 24 includes a flat uppersurface 25 adapted to bear against the supporting surfaces'of any usualtype of internal combustion motor and a bolt hole 26 so that the motormay be bolted to the arm.

It has been heretofore mentioned that one of the objects of the presentinvention was to provide a bracket or such design and construction thatit .will accommodate internal combustion motors of all types,irrespective of the location and angular position of the mountingsurfaces. This is accomplished by the present construction, since thecombination of the pivotal movement provided between the cross-pin 23and the motor mounting arm 24, together with the pivotal movementprovided by the connection between the bracket casting [*5 and thesupporting column ll permits the bolting surface 25 and the bolt hole 26to assume any angular position.

The mounting arm 24 is also provided with an adjustable locking means sothat the arm may be limited in its movement around the pivot 23; thelocking means comprising a threaded machine screw 2'! extending throughthe wall l8 of the bracket casting l5 and having a rounded end portion28 arranged to bear against the curved inner surface 29 of a limitinglug 3! formed integrally with the motor-supporting arm 24. The innersurface 29 of the limit lug 3| is of such curvature as to bear againstthe end 28 of the cap screw 21 in an approximate right anglerelationship, irrespective of the angular position of the mounting arm24. If desired, the structure may also include a machine screw 32extending through one of the side walls 21 to bear against the flat sidesurface of the mounting arm 24 and thus assist in clamping the arm inany desired position, either below the horizontal position illustratedin Fig. 1, or above.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the provision of theparticular structure illustrated in the drawing provides a simple andrugged universal engine mounting bracket capable of assuming any angularposition and thus adapted to engage the motor mounting surfaces of anyone of numerous different types and models of internal combustionengines. It is believed, however, that while the constructionillustrated in the drawing is the most satisfactory for the purpose, yetcertain minor modifications, may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, the scope of which should be limited only bythe terms of the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1-. In an engine mounting bracket, in combination, a supporting column,a bracket body portion, a vertical pivot inter-connecting the bracketbody and the supporting column; together with means to maintain thebracket body in position on said column; a horizontal pivot pin carriedby the bracket body, and a motor mounting arm mounted on said pivot pin,the arm including a fiat mounting surface and a bolt hole adjacent theouter end of the arm and means to limit the pivotalmovement of the armwith respect to the body portion, said means comprising a limiting lugon said arm and a machine screw on said body portion adapted to engagethe surface of the limiting lug to adjustably support the mountingarm'in any one of a plurality of angular positions with respect to thesupporting column.

2. In an engine mounting bracket, in combination, a supporting column, areduced cylindrical portion of the upper extremity of said column, and ahorizontal bearing surface at the lower end of said reduced cylindricalportion; said reduced cylindrical portion including an annular groove; abracket body portion consisting of a pair of side walls spaced apartfrom each other at their upper extremities, a rear wall interconnectingsaid side walls and a solid lower portion having a vertical cylindricalrecess in pivotal relationship with the reduced portion of thesupporting column so that the lower surface of the body may bear againstthe horizontal bearing surface of the supporting column together withmeans to maintain the bracket bodyin position on said column; a pivotpin extending between the side Walls of the bracket body and a motormounting arm mounted on said pivot, the arm including a flat mountingsurface and a bolt .hole adjacent the outer end of the arm. 3. In anengine mounting bracket, in combination, a supporting column, a reducedcylindrical portion of the upper extremity of saidcolumn, and ahorizontal bearing surface at the lower end of said reduced cylindricalportion; said reduced cylindrical portion including an annular groove; abracket body portion consisting of a pair of side walls spaced apartfrom each other at their upper extremities, a rear wall inter-connectingsaid side walls, and a solid lower portion having a vertical cylindricalrecess in pivotal relationship with the reduced portion of thesupporting column so that the, lower surface of the body may bearagainst the horizontal bearing surface of the supporting column,together with means to maintain the bracket body in position on saidcolumn; a pivot pin extending betweenthe side walls of the bracket body,and a motor mounting arm mounted on said pivot, the arm including a flatmounting surface and a bolt hole adjacent the outer end of the arm; andmeans to limit the pivotal movement of the arm with respect to the bodyportion, said means comprising a limiting lug integrally formed withsaid arm and having a curved inner surface and a ,machine screw inthreaded engagement with the rear wall of the body portion of thebracket and adapted to engage the inner surface of the limiting lug toadjustably Support, the mounting arm in any one of a plurality ofangular positions with respect to the supporting column.

LAWRENCE, w. ALFRED.

